Switch



v UNITED fSTrfifiafs PATENT om@ w Herbert J. Crabbs, ;Wilkinsburg, Pa., assigner Westinghouse Electrics; Manufacturing Company, a corporation of vPennsylvania 4 Applicationouiy 11, 192s, serial No. 291,749` l 22 ciainis. 'lemon-4s)- My invention relates to circuit interrupters contact, taken along the section line ILV-IV of andmore particularly to disconnecting Vswitches for high-voltage circuits.

With the advent of exceedingly high-voltage systems ,in recent years, switch-gear problems have been considerably increased in dilculty wand, Vat the present time, area limitation-to a further increase in the voltages of such systems.

wV One diiiculty experienced? is with disconnecting vswitches for outdoor service.d and relates to poor contact between theswitch blade andthe switch jaws, usually caused by corrosion or lack of sufficient pressure and resulting. in a large voltage drop across thevcont'act surfaces; f f

`In accordance with my invention, `I'y overcome f the above-mentioned diiculty by providingexceedingly high-pressure contacts, forming either i a surface `contact or a piuralityof line contacts 1 i i A d doublecrank 9 is'mounted directly on the central insulating base 4 and is rotativeiy movable 20 under heavy pressure. v

2o `The dinicultyof employing high-pressure co'ntats in the past was due to inability topush and pull along blade intoand out ofengagement with its engaging jaws, undersuch high pressures. Another Asource of difiiculty was the large stresses imposed upon the insulator columnsand the operating mechanism employed in high-voltage apparatus.

I eliminate the foregoing dilculties by pro'- `viding a cam lever on each end of the blade to engage a member on each ofthe jaws to thereby i pry the blade into and out of engagement when the switch is closed or is moved to open position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a cam for forcing the blade into` and out of kcircuit-closing position which shall also act as a latch for retaining the blade in its lclosed position.y H

It is a further object of my invention to provide a` camlever `for prying the blade intoand l out of closed-circuit position thatshall fold up when the blade is in open position, so that the air gap between the jaws and theblade will not beshortened. I f These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout the further description of my apparatus will best be understood by referring to the drawings,wherein;` u Figure 1 is a top plan Vview of an embodiment of my invention, with the switch blade `in 'closed position,

Fig. 2 is a view, `similar to Fig. 1j, showing the blade in partly-open position, 'l Fig. 3 isa View', iny elevationgof the embodiment of my invention' shown in Fig. 1 andiFig. 2,

parts being broken away,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ormehigii-pressme "Fig 1, and

`section `line V--V ofFig. 2.

My`inventio comprises, `in general, a' main blade I. the ends of whichfhave tips `28 which engage high-pressure contacts 2 and 3." `'I'hefcentralpo'rt'ion of the blade I and the high-pressure l0 contacts 2 and 3 are mounted on bases or pedestals 4 that are'supported 'vonfa suitable iframe (not shown). The central."pedestalft has'attached thereto a bevel gear 5 to engage a bevel gear 6 that may be connected, by a shaft 1,' to 15 al motor- 8 or to a hand-operated mechanism of i a type wellknownin the art.

Referringto Figs. 1, 2, and-3,*a cross `arm` or therewith. A stud II extends abovethe crank Y or arm19, co^axia1 with theaxis of the insulator Landhas'a recessin its upper end to receive a pin I2 withwhich the blade I is provided. By `so` mounting the blade I, with respectto the arm 9. 25 the latter may be rotatively moved with respect to the blade. However, in order to normally position the blade with respect to the arm, `a. heavy coil spring I3 is provided, one end of which is attached to the stud I I `and the other end of 30 which is'attached, by'a bolt I4, toone side of the blade I. j'I'he normal position of: the crank or arm 9, relativeto Athe blade I,` i. e.,- the' angle which yspring I3 maintainsv between them, is one in 35 which the A*crank or arm '3 isvalmost parallel, to `the bladeyasindicated in `1Eig,` 2. The abovementioned relative positions of theblacle and arm 4 are desirable, when theswitch is in the full open position, indicated by the line 'itil-SI5?,` because 40 the arm, if otherwise positioned, would decrease lthe 4air gap Aseparating thetwo highfpres'sure contacts 2 and `3. l

Pivoted at I5 to eachtip 28 on'the ends of the blade I is a cam leveror link-I6 havinga rounded 45 prying lug` I'I` at its free end and having'its other .end connected to one end of the crank'or arm 9 by l.

tips 28 of the blade I come into contact with the 55 high-pressure contacts 2 and 3, after which the the members I9 Ymove longitudinally to turn each of the cam levers I6 in a clockwise direction. 'I'his relative movement of the arm 9 and the blade I is permitted by the deection ofthe spring I3.

Each of the high-pressure contacts 2 and 3 comprises a bifurcated portion 2| to receive the tip 28 of the blade and guide it between the highpressure contact members, the entrance portion of the guide space being wider than its inner portion, as shown in Fig. 5. A

'1 Referring to Fig. 4, the enlarged sectional view there shown discloses an inner slot 22 of the guide member 2| which is the inner portion of the space between its arms, the left-hand portion showing the high-pressure contact 2, comprising upper and'lower jaws 23 and 24 biased toward each other providing the projections 26, the pressure exerted b'ya heavy U-shaped'sprlng 25. The contact jaws 23 and 24 make contact with the tip 28 of the blade I along vthe lines ofthe projections 26. By

at the ends ythereof will beso greatthat they will lbe pressed into intimatemechanical contact with A`the metal ofthe tips 28 on the blade I. By this f v'that of the jaws are so rmly united that no oxides v v'can exist between them, and suiicient metal will means, the copper of the tips on the blade and always bein contact to eliminate the trouble heretofore'experienced with the heating of the A contacts and thedrop of potential. The projections or ridges 26 extend parallel to the direction :oftmovement of the blade tip 28 when entering l between the jaws, thereby providing a wiping action along the line of'contact, which still more current.

effectively removes any oxides or other coating I which might koifer resistance to flowof electric The spring 25 exerts such compressive lforce upon the upper and lower contact jaws 23 vand 24 that the. tip 28r of the blade I cannot be forced home therein by direct rotation of the central insulator 4. For this reason, a. recess 21 is provided in the blade-guiding member 2| andthe upper andlowerl'contact jaws ,23 and 24 to serve as a fulcrum for the cam lever I6, the prying lug I1 of `which will move into it, as a result of the con- ;'tinued movement lof the armv or crank 9 after the blade has engaged the contacts. Further movement of thearm 9 will'force the tip 28 on the Vblade I between the projections 26 of the highpressure contacts 2 and 3 and will thereafter move Athe blades into'fully closed position, as shown in Ejiggl, by the prying' force exerted through the cam lever or link I 6. o

AssumingA that the switch is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, it is held in this position by the cam lever ,I6 because of the rotatively-movable insulating member 4 being held inA that position by the operating mechanism that turns it. When the operating mechanism is moved to turn .the member 4 in aclockwise direction, the tips 28 of the switch .blade I will remain in contact with the high-pressure contacts 2 and 3, so. that the arm or crank 9 will turn with respect thereto, causing the cam levers or links I6 to be moved about their pivot points I5 in a counter-clockwise direction. During this movement, the deiiection of the spring` vthe relative position of the blade I with respect to the arm 9 is that shown in Fig. 2, in which there is little or no deection in the spring I3, as the resistance to turning offered by the blade I is negligible after it has become disengaged from the contacts 2 and 3.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a switch with high-pressure contacts and with a set of cam members that are operated by mechanism similar to that heretofore employed in operating switches withoutcams; and that 4such cams are employed, both in closing and in opening the circuit interrupter, to force the blade into and out of closedcircuit position.

Although I have shown and described a disconnecting switch in which the blades are swung in a horizontal plane between two contact jaws, it will be apparent to any one skilled in the art that my device will work equally'as well on singlebreak interrupters that may turn in either a horizontal plane or a vertical plane. l do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the particular l pressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The, combination, inl a disconnect switch structure having a swinging blade mounted on a central rotatable member, contact members oppositely disposed at the sides of the said member andadapted to receive the blade and complete a circuit when the said'central member is rotatively actuated, a cam lever associated with each `end of the blade and actuated by the central member, and stationary engaging members to receive the cam levers to thereby enable they cam levers to force the blade into and out of' full contact engagement.

2. The combination withA a pivoted blade member and a jaw member forming a switch structure, of a cam member associated with the blade member, a cam-engaging member associated with the jaw member, and a member pivoted about the axis of the pivot of said blade for actuating the cam member after its engagement with the cam-engaging member to force the blade member into and out of engaged position with the jaw member.

3. A switch structure comprising a blade member, an actuating member having a stationary axis of motion, stationaryfcontact members, camming members associated with the ends of the blade, cam-engaging members lassociated with the jaws, and connecting means between the camming members and the actuating member so that the actuating member moves the blade into and out of engagement with the stationary contact members.

4. 'I'he combination in a switch comprising a blade and a cooperating contact member, of an actuating member for supporting the blade and for moving it to and from contact with the contact member, and a cam attached to the blade member and independently operated by the actuating member to move the blade into and out of full engagement with 4the contact member.

e 5. The combination with a switchfblade-and contact jaws therefor, `of an ,oper'atinglever for moving the blade bodily and having a pivoted connection therewithfwhereby the lever may be moved without moving theiblade, a cammember mounted on ,the end oi the blade and connected to Vthe lever, a. cam-engaging member on the contact jaws'whereby the iir'st movement upon opening andthe Tlast movement upony closing, theblade member is a' rotativemovement of the lever with respect to the, blade `to cam the blade outof or i into Acomplete `engagementwith the jaws.` l e.

6. The combinationi with a rotatively movable 'blade and a supportinglever therefor that is mov- ,able` relatively thereto, of p contact members i op` `poslitelydisposed Wlifrespect totheblade for engaging thel endsthe'reof to complete` a circuit 'therewithfaf cam member.-mountell on eachfend of the blade` andconected tothe lever, a cam- 'engaging member, on keihf"Contact member,

whereby, when `closing or opening the switch, the iinaly movement into and the initial movement Imovement of thelever relative to theblade `to cause actuaticn'of the cam bythe cam-engaging memben m11.- i

, 7. Ina switch structure, the', combinationwitii` a bridging member, of a member` rotatable `about a' stationaryaxis `for actuating, Saidbridging able by each end thereofpacamming means asso- "ciated with each endrlof said bridging, member i andcontact membersfor fiorcinguthe former into and out .of intimateV engagement with the latter,

and aoommbn actuating member for operating said camming me`ans.-"`4 l 1 9,111 a switch structure, the A.combination with i a `bridging member, of contact@membersten-` gageableby each .,endthereof, a Vcamming means associated with ,eachend of said bridging memberand therespective contactlmembers forforcinglthe former` into and o'utbfintimate,engagea i ment with the latter, and a common-actuating member for moving saidbridging member and operating said camming means.

10. In a switch structure, thecombination with a bridging membenof a contact member therefor, actuating Vmeans flexibly `connected to and rsupporting said bridging member for rotation tion of said bridging member.

11. In a switch structure aV movable switch blade the current-carry portions of which form a substantially rigid `portion and acontactpjaw having means for frictionallyholding said switch blade in contact therewith, means mounted `on said switch blade for prying said switch blade into and out of said frictional engagement with said jaw, and means having astationary axis of motion for actuating said prying means onsaid blade. `i

12. In a switch structure, a `contact member and a switch blade movable into engagement with said contact member, said switchblade having current-,carrying portionsforming a substantially rigid structure, `means movably mounted on said .i switchblade for prying saidblade. into and out `ofengagement with; said contact member, and i means `comprising any actuating4 member pivoted abolita stationary` axis and `,connected tosaid,

' switch blade and to `saidmovable prying means `-``for. movingA said prying means-onsaid blade'and for moving saidblade.l".', i i v L `1,3\.In,a switchstructure, a contact member e and a switch blade-movable into: engagement with said contact member, means movably mounted on said switchvblade `fonprying said blade into andout of engagement with said contact member, and means comprisingv an:actuating member pivotedabouta `stationary-axisand having a iiex-` ible connection tosaidiswitch blade and a positive connection to said'movabl'e prying means for mov- ,i ing said prying meanson said bladeandfor mov- ;ingsaidblade.; i

odile-In a switch structure, a contact jaw memgb'er anda pivoted switch bladepfor making contact therewith, meanspivoted 4on the end of said switch blade and. engageable with saidjawmem- `.f y.ber for pryingsaidblade into and out of contact anactuating,member` pivoted about a stationary s 4,axisand,connected to saidswitchiblade andf to said pivoted prying ,means vfor rotating said blade and llprying `means aboutytheir respective pivots. `15. Inaswitchstructure, a pivoted switch blade and la contact jaw having means for-frictionalli7 holding said switch blade -in` contact therewith, means-pivoted .i on then end of said' switch blade with said jaw` member, 'and means comprising and=iengageable,withv said jaw ffor `prying said switch bladeinto and rout of `saidffrictional en,v

eiirst4 contact memberpa second'contact member movableginto'and outfof engagement therewith, a lever pivoted tothe-second contact member, and operating means connected to the `second contact member, said parts being so arranged that switchclosing `movement :ofi the-'operating means iirst effects movement of the lever and the second contact member, toward the first-contact member untilone part of said lever abuts the first contact member, whereupon the latter serves as a fulcrum for the lever and continued movement of the operating means eiects rotary movement of the lever forcing the second contact into engagement with the rst contactmember.

17. An4 electric switch including a rotatable ace tuating insulator, a switch'blade pivotally mounted on said insulator for vrotation relative thereto and actuated by said insulator, the pivot of the switch `blade being coincident with the axis of rotation ofthe insulator, spring means connected at one end to amovable point on said rotatable insulator to be actuated thereby and at the other end to said switch blade to cause actuating thereof, and means engageable by said switch during movement to closed position when' it has reached a position closely adjacent to closed position for retarding lmovement of said switch blade and stressing said spring as said insulator continues to rotate so that said spring is stressed when the switch blade `is in closed position.

18. An electric switch including a rotatable aci ed thereonv and actuated thereby, said switch blade havingacontact surface substantially rigid therewith. the pivot of the switch blade being at aiixed point coincidentwith the axis of rotation Vofthe insulator and said blade and said insulator `being relatively movable, contact means engageable by the contactsurface on said blade when guiar position with respect to one another, means f -for causing'the contact surface rigid with said bladeand said contact :means to move relative to each other with a high pressure wiping action during the final part of the circuitv closing operation of said gswitch, and means-whereby said means for producing a wiping engagement oi' the cooperating contact surfaces is actuated by the- `rotationfoi' saidrotatable insulator during the vcircuit closing operation; ,the pivotal mounting of said blade allowing said insulator to move independently otsaid bladewhen causing theactuation of said actuating means. f

M19. An electric switch including 'a contact, a rotatable actuating insulator. a switch blade having a'contact atone end thereofV for engaging the iirst said contact, said switch blade being pivlotally mounted on and rotatable relative to said insulator'fand being actuated'therebm'the pivot of theswitch blade being coincidentl with the axis of rotationofv the insulator, spring lmeans connected at one end to a point movable rigidly with theinsulator to be actuated thereby and y connected at the other end to actuateY the blade and to tend to maintain them in a predetermined angular. position with respect toone another, and meanszcausingsaid rotatable insulator to rotate relative to said bladegagainst the bias of said spring'to increase its stress after preliminary engagement of 'the contacts and as they move vinto inal high pressure contact. l v- 20.1In an'electric switch-,a supporting insulator, acontact'means associated with said insulator, a second supporting insulator,'ja jblade mem- A.berend-a; second membersupported on said second insulator, a contact portion rigidly Amounted cn the end of said bladev member, and actuating means for moving said blade member intoand out of engagement with said contact meansI said blade member and said second member being joined together adjacent'the end which engages I said contact means by a link pivoted to bothy the blade member and the second member, at least one of said members `being longitudinally movable, with respect to the other of said members,y

during' the f circuit closing operation to actuate said link and means for causing the contact por- -tion 'rigidly' mounted on said blade member to wipe and engage saidv contact meansv with high pressure upon actuation of said link;

21.' In an electric switch, a stationary supporting insulator, a contact means associated with said insulator, a rotatable supporting insulator, ,a'blade member and a second member supported von said' rotatable-insulator for movement to the openand to the closed circuit position, a contact portion rigidlycarried by'said blade member, and actuating means supported on said rotatable insulator for vcausing said members to be` moved into and outl'of engagement with said contact means, in response -to the rotation of said rotatable insulator, said members being Joinedl together adjacent the end which engages said contactmeans by a tie-link pivotally fastened to rboth said blade member and said'second member,

at least one oi said members being longitudinally 'movable with respect to the other of saidmembers, during the circuit closing operation to cause said link to move so as to eiect an intimate engagement between the contact portion rigidly ycarried bysaid blade member and said contact means.

`22. -In an electric switch, contact means, a pair of members one of whichhas a contact portion rigid therewith for engaging said contact means, support means for said members, actuating means for movingsaid members into and out of position to engage said contact means, and means oper- HERBER'i` momias. Y 

